Thursday, July 7, 2011

Thursday Focus: Author/Interview~ Amy Lunderman

AL: Very stealthily, kind of like a ninja! Lol! Sometimes it feels that way, but for now I take advantage of sleeping time. Hers not mine; since she is still young she has a nap and is in bed early. I try to write as much as I can during that time, and lucky for me she loves her sleep.

TRB: What made you choose to go Indie? What is your advice to other authors that don't wish to go the “legacy publishing” route?

AL: With the demand of e-Books, this is the most used and professional form of self-publishing. It definitely makes it easier for a first-time writer to give it a try. The best advice for anyone choosing to go "indie" is to edit! I revise a first draft so many times that the words blur together, and sometimes I feel like it isn’t even enough. So edit like it’s going out of style!

TBR: I hear that!

TRB: Where did you get your idea(s) for your novels, They Walk, and the sequel, They Stumble? Is it a predominately “zombie novel,” or does it have zombies as a part of it with other supporting elements?

AL:I’ve been a hardcore zombie fan for a while now, and a couple months ago I had a marathon of the AMC series, The Walking Dead. That night I ended up have crazy dream about a girl named Maggie who had to fight dozens of zombies. The next morning I started writing right away, and even though I changed most of the plot and outcome (because it wouldn’t make sense, the dream was wacko; seriously) it still stuck with me to keep [it] going! I’d say it’s most definitely a “zombie novel,” but without giving anything away, there is a twist I added that will make it it’s own.

AL: I’m a little bit of all three actually, but mainly an outline queen, for sure. I usually take my main plot idea and outline the entire book out before I write anything. Most times when I get into the writing, I’ve noticed that the plot can change as I go; almost like it’s taking me for the ride and not the other way around.

TRB: Did you model any characters after real-life people? Is there a character that resonates with you?

AL: It’s funny that you ask that, because yes I do! I use a lot of characteristics from some of my family members, and sometimes I don’t even change the name. I find that it helps to use someone familiar when trying to create a character, it helps when you’re trying to find depth. It’s hard for me to pick one character from my writing that really sticks with me, but if I had to choose I’d pick the MC Maggie. She is the one character that I really had to get close to, since she is the MC and all.

TRB: What is your hope for readers to experience by reading your novel?

AL: My ideal reader is someone like me, I suppose. Someone who loves a suspenseful book that is filled with plot twists, new love, and teenage angst. I hope that the reader of my book can have all of the above, as well as a fun read by jumping on the ride of zombie craziness.

TRB: Is there a playlist that you listen to that inspires you while you're writing?

AL: Is there a playlist? Of course there is! I always make it a point to listen to something while I am writing, and it really helps me set the mood of the book. When I wrote the first book, They Walk, I listened to a lot of Within Temptation. I’d say their “Heart of Everything” album is the soundtrack with the song “What Have You Done,” as the theme. I listened to other [artists] for the other two books, but this one really stuck with me.

TRB: Who is your favorite author? Is there a certain genre you read [in] exclusively?

AL: I live to read paranormal romance! Whether they are adult or young adult, I love to read them all. I started reading Fear Street, by R.L. Stine when I was younger and even now I still reread all the works by Laurell K. Hamilton. I still love going back to read each of them both, no matter that I could read them with my eyes closed. I enjoy the fast paced action mixed in with the paranormal, and it inspired to me use that sort of thing with my own writing.

TRB: Are you a DTB (Dead Tree Book) reader, or do you use a dedicated reader? What do you predict for the future of these two formats?

AL: It’s a toss-up for which format I love to read, but I do like them both. I love the feel of having an actual book in my hands, that doesn’t have to be plugged in to charge, but I do like the convenience of having everything on demand. See? It’s a toss-up! Using a dedicated reader is something that is going to be everywhere pretty soon, which is nice for an e-Book writer such as myself. One of these days I’d actually like to have my own works in print, which is definitely something I am striving for.

TRB: When can we expect the exciting sequel for, They Stumble, will publish? What are a few things the reader can expect from book three?

AL: They Fall, book three in the trilogy, was just released actually! One thing the reader can expect is to be ready for a startling conclusion. Again, I don’t want to give anything away but…..be prepared to be shocked. Did I mention that I love a plot twist? *enter sinister laugh here*

TRB: Awesome! More-to-love!

TRB: How has your experience as an author been different from what you expected?

AL: Not to sound lazy, but it’s a lot more work than I expected! So far I’ve been doing it all myself; with the helpful guide of the internet. Since I am sans publisher and editor, I have to really make myself buckle down and try to get the word out about my writing, as well as find the time to write.

I have created my own blog though, and got my own twitter account, as well as Facebook; so that helps tremendously. It’s definitely worth all the hard work; I love getting lost in the writing process and story world building.

Book 2, They Stumble

Author Bio~

Amy Lunderman is a stay-at-home mom, with a passion to write paranormal romantic thrillers, whether they be adult or young adult. She lives in Rhode Island with her fiancé and their beautiful daughter. She enjoys writing, reading, being a mom, watching movies and television, having dance party, you tube, and status updates on Facebook.

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TRB: I have not yet had the pleasure of reading Amy's zombie trilogy but hope to in the near future...Thanks for being a guest on my blog, Amy~! :D

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About Me

Tamara Rose Blodgett: happily married mother of four sons. Dark fiction writer. Reader. Gardner. Dreamer. Home restoration slave. Coffee addict. Digs music.
She is also the NEW YORK TIMES Bestselling author of A TERRIBLE LOVE, written under the pen name, Marata Eros and over eighty-five other titles in multiple genres of erotica, fantasy, horror, romance, suspense, and sci-fi. She lives in the midwest with her family and three, disrespectful dogs.